nown'd Claudio, (whofe eftimation do you mightily hold up) to a contaminated Stale, fuch a one as Hero. John. What proof fhall I make of That?

Bora. Proof enough, to misuse the Prince, to vex Claudio, to undo Hero, and kill Leonato; look you for any other iffue?

John. Only to defpite them, I will endeavour any thing.

(9) Bora. Go then find me a meet hour, to draw Don

(9) Bora. Go then, find me a meet hour to draw Don Pedro and the Count Claudio, alone; tell them that you know Hero louis mez― Offer them infances which fral bear no less likelihood than to jee me at ber chamber window; hear me call Margaret, Hero; bear Mugaret term me CLAUDIO; and bring them to fee this the ve y night before the intended wedding.] Thus the whole ftream of the editions from the fi: ft Quarto downwards. I am oblig'd here to give a fhort account of the Plot depending, that the emendation I have made may appear the more clear and unquestionable. The business ftands thus: Claudio, a favourite of the Arragon Prince, is, by his interceffions with her father, to be married to fair Hero. Don Jon natural brother of the Prince, and a hater of Claudio, is in his fpleen zealous to disappoint the match. Borachio, a 1afcally dependant on Don John, offers his affiftance, and engages to break off the marriage by this ftratagem. "Tell the Prince and Claudio (fays he) that Hero "is in love with Me; they won't believe it; offer them proofs, as "that they shall fee me converfe with her in her chamber-window; "I am in the good graces of her waiting-woman Margaret ; and I l prevail with Margaret at a dead hour of night to perfonate her miftrefs Hero; do you then bring the Prince and Claudio to over"hear our difcourfe; and They shall have the torment to hear me "addrefs Margaret by the name of Hero, and her fay fweet things "to me by the name of Claudio.”

-This is the fubftance of

Borachio's device to make Hero fufpected of difloyalty, and to break off her match with Claudio. But in the name of commen fenfe, could it difpieafe Claudic to hear his mistress making ufe of his name tenderly? If he faw another man with her, and heard her call him Claudio, he might reasonably think her betray'd, but not have the fame reafon to accufe her of difloyalty. Befides, how could her naming Claudio make the Prince and Claudio believe that he lov'd Borachio, as he defires Don John to infinuate to them that she did? The cir cumftances weigh'd, there is no doubt but the paffage ought to be reform'd, as I have fettled in the text.

bear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me BORACHIO. I made this correction in my SHAKESPEARE reftor'd, and Mr. Pope has thought fit tacitly to embrace it in his laft edition.

Pedro, and the Count Claudio, alone; tell them, that you know, Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the Prince and Claudio, (as in a love of your brother's honour who hath made this match;) and his friend's reputation, (who is thus like to be cozen'd with the femblance of a maid,) that you have discover'd thus; they will hardly believe this without trial; offer them inftances, which fhall bear no less likelihood than to fee me at her chamber-window; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Borachio; and bring them to fee this, the very night before the intended wedding; for in the mean time I will fo fafhion the matter, that Hero fhall be abfent; and there fhall appear fuch feeming truths of Hero's difloyalty, that jealoufy fhall be call'd affurance, and all the preparation over

thrown.

John. Grow this to what adverse iffue it can, I will put it in practice: be cunning in the working this, and thy fee is a thousand ducats.

Bora. Be thou conftant in the accufation, and my cuncing fhall not fhame me.

John. I will presently go learn their day of marriage.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Leonato's Orchard.

Bene.

Enter Benedick, and a Boy.

OY

•Boy

B Bey. Signior.

Bene. In my chamber window lies a book, bring it hither to me in the orchard.

Boy. I am here already, Sir.

[Exit Boy.

Bene. I know that, but I would have thee hence, and here again. I do much wonder, that one man, feeing how much another man is a fool, when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will, after he hath laught at fuch fhallow follies in others, become the argument of his own fcorn, by falling in love! and fuch a man is Claudio. I have known, when there was no mufick with him

but

but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the taber and the pipe; I have known, when he would have walk'd ten mile a-foot, to fee a good armour; and now will he lye ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpose, like an honeft man and a foldier; and now is he turn'd orthographer, his words are a very fantaftical banquet, just fo many strange dishes. May I be fo converted, and fee with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not. I will not be fworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, 'till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me fuch a fool: one woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wife, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am wel!. But 'till all graces be in one woman, one woman fhall not come in my grace. Rich fhe fhall be, that's certain; (10)" wife, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen "her: fair, or I'll never look on her"; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent mufician, and her hair fhall be of what colour it pleafe God. Ha! the Prince and Monfieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour. [Withdraws.

Enter Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, and Balthazar. Pedro. Come, fhall we hear this mufick?

Claud. Yea, my good lord; how ftill the evening is, As hufh'd on purpose to grace harmony!

Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself? Claud. O very well, my lord; the mufick ended, We'll fit the kid-fox with a penny-worth.

Pedro. Come Balthazar, we'll hear that song again.

(10) "Wife, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen ber; fair, " or I'll never look un ber;] These words, fays Mr. Pope, added cut of the edition of 1623.-But they are likewife, before that, in the Quarto of 1600. They are alfo in the fecond and third impreffions in Folio; and in the two editions by Mr. Rowe. Where is it they are not then, that they are thus faid to be added by this wonderful Collator? They happen to be extant in the very first edition, that we know of; they keep their place in an edition publish'd 23 years after that; and therefore, Mr. Pope fays, they are added from this fubfequent edition.

B

4

Balth

Balth. O good my lord, tax not so bad a voice To flander mufick any more than once.

Pedro. It is the witnefs ftill of excellency, To put a ftrange face on his own perfection; pray thee, fing; and let me woo no more.

I

Balth. Becaufe you talk of wooing, I will fing;
Since many a wooer doth commence his fuit
To her he thinks not worthy, yet he wooes;
Yet will he fwear, he loves.

Pedro. Nay, pray thee, come;

Or if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.

Balth. Note this before my notes,

There's not a note of mine that's worth the noting. Pedro. Why, thefe are very crotchets that he speaks, Note, notes, forfooth, and noting.

Bene. Now, divine air; now is his foul ravifh'd! is it not ftrange, that fheep's guts fhould hale fouls out of mens bodies? well, a horn for my money, when all's

done.

The SON G.

Balth. Sigh no more, ladies, figh no more,
Men were deceivers ever;
One foot in fea, and one on fhore,
To one thing constant never:
Then figh not fo, but let them go,
And be you blith and bonny;
Converting all your founds of woe
Into hey nony, nony.

Sing no more ditties, fing no mo,
Of dumps fo dull and heavy;
The frauds of men were ever fo,
Since fummer was first leafy;
Then figh not so, &c.

Pedro. By my troth, a good fong.
Balth. And an ill finger, my lord.

Pedro. Ha, no; no, faith; thou fing'ft well enough

for a fhift.

Benc

Bene. If he had been a dog, that should have howl'd thus, they would have hang'd him; and, I pray God, his bad voice bode no mischief: I had as lief have heard the night-raven, come what plague could have come after it.

Pedro. Yea, marry, doft thou hear, Balthazar ? I pray thee, get us fome excellent mufick; for to-morrow night we would have it at the lady Hero's chamberwindow.

Balth. The best I can, my lord.

[Exft Balthazar. Pedro. Do fo: farewel. Come hither, Leonato ; what was it you told me of to day, that your Niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay;

-ftalk on, ftalk on, the fowl fits. I did never think, that lady would have loved any man. Leon. No, nor I neither; but most wonderful, that fhe thould fo doat on Signior Benedick, whom the hath in all outward behaviours feem'd ever to abhor.

Bene. Is't poffible, fits the wind in that corner? [fde. Leon. By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it; but that the loves him with an inraged affection, it is paft the infinite of thought.

Pedro. May be, he doth but counterfeit.

Claud. Faith, like enough.

Leon. O God! counterfeit there was never counterfeit of paffion came fo near the life of pafion, as the discovers it.

Pedro. Why, what effects of paffion fhews fhe?

Claud. Bait the hook well, this fifh will bite. [4fde. Leon. What effects, my lord? he will fit you, you heard my daughter tell you how.

Claud. She did, indeed.

Pedro. How, how, I pray you? you amaze me: I would have thought, her fpirit had been invincible against all affaults of affection.

Leon. I would have fworn, it had, my lord; efpecially againt Benedick.

Bene. [Afide.] I fhould think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow fpeaks it; knavery cannot, fure, hide himself in fuch reverence.

B 5

Claud.